Kick Start Weight Loss

It is not always easy to begin a weight loss routine. Your intentions to lose weight will be good, but you might struggle to start changing your lifestyle or you might find that you are not dropping any pounds in the beginning. There are some things that you can do to help kick start weight loss.

Kick Start Weight Loss Now With These Simple Steps
There are steps to take before you make any attempts to lose weight. First, you should consult with your physician so that they can provide you with any do's or don'ts for your new eating and exercise habits based on your current and past medical history. Your physician will also be able to answer questions you have about whether or not you can use weight loss pills to help you begin losing weight.

Make a commitment to living a healthy life for the rest of your life rather than opting to try a crash diet or a celebrity diet. You can drop those unwanted pounds and maintain a good weight throughout life if you concentrate on eating well each day and by living an active rather than a sedentary lifestyle.

There are some simple changes you can make in your dietary habits that can help you to begin dropping a couple extra pounds. If you are currently drinking soda or other sugary beverages, cut them out of your diet immediately. These drinks are not healthy for you and can pack on extra pounds. You can lose a couple pounds in a short amount of time by making this simple change.

Cut Calories
Cut high fat and high calorie take-out foods and processed foods from your diet if these items are currently a part of your daily or weekly eating habits. If you find that you cannot cut out these convenience foods completely with your busy life, you must reduce the number of times you eat these meals. Eating less of these foods will help you cut down on calories which should result in some weight loss over time.

Increase Activity
Increase your activity level each day to help kick start your weight loss. Your diet is extremely important but you also need to get moving to drop unwanted pounds. If you are quite inactive and gradually add some physical activity to your life, you will begin losing weight. The same is true if you are active here and there and make the switch to exercising regularly and to finding ways to increase activity levels each day.

Positive Attitude
Start your weight loss plan on the right foot; with a positive attitude. Believing in yourself and having the confidence that you can achieve a healthy weight, will go a long way in helping you to begin your weight loss. By starting out with a good attitude, you will have the motivation you need to make changes and stick with them.

By following a few simple steps, you can kick start weight loss. Before long, you will see the number on the scale begin to go down and you will be on the way to becoming healthier and slimmer.

Hi. I'm Dani Mills, author of www.weightlossanddietpills.co.uk [http://www.weightlossanddietpills.co.uk] and www.ehomeremediesforpiles.com

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Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique for Eating Disorders: Step by Step

Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique for reducing anxiety by alternately tensing and relaxing the muscles. It was developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the early 1920s. Jacobson believed that since muscle tension accompanies anxiety, one can reduce anxiety by learning how to relax the muscular tension.

Anxieties and muscular tension are common for all eating disorder sufferers. Therefore, Progressive muscle relaxation is a useful practice to reduce and even eliminate these symptoms.

Other benefits of Progressive muscle relaxation for eating disorder people are:
- relaxing the body and the mind
- diminishing the urges to binge, purge or startve yourself
- decreasing headaches,
- improving sleep
- making you focus on the present moment instead  of being in the past or future.

The exercises require you to tense and relax 16 muscle groups in your body step by step. For some, you will be required to stretch your legs forward and do other stretches for which your posture is important. Therefore you will benefit most if you avoid lying down throughout these exercises. Also, most people who lie down tend to fall asleep during the exercise, but this is not the purpose. You are encouraged to sit comfortably in a chair or armchair which can keep your back comfortable and straight.

Now take a few slow deep breaths, deep in your stomach and begin to relax.

As you let your body relax, clench your fists and bend them back at the wrist, tighter and tighter.  Keep breathing and feel the tension in your fists and forearms. Now relax. Feel the looseness in your hands and forearms. Notice the contrast with tension.

Now bend your elbows and tense your biceps. Tense them as hard as you can and observe the feeling of tightness. Let your arms drop down now and relax. Feel the difference between tension and relaxation.

Now turn your attention to your head, and wrinkle your forehead. Yes, as tight as you can. Tight, tight, yes feel the tension. Keep breathing and feel the tension in the forehead and scalp. Now relax and smooth it out. Imagine your entire forehead and scalp becoming smooth and at rest.

Now frown and notice the strain spreading throughout your forehead. Keep breathing, and let go. Relax. Allow your brow to become smooth again.

Now squeeze your eyes closed. Tighter. Keep breathing, and relax your eyes. Let them remained closed, gently and comfortably.

Now open your mouth wide and feel tension in your jaw. Now relax your jaw. When the jaw is relaxed your lips will be slightly parted. Notice the contrast between tension and relaxation.

Now press your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Experience the ache at the back of your mouth. Keep breathing through your nose. And relax.

Press your lips now, purse them into an "O" shape. And now relax your lips. Feel the relaxation in your forehead, scalp, eyes, jaw, tongue, and lips. Let go more and more.

Now roll your head slowly around your neck, feeling the point of tension shifting as your head moves. And then slowly roll your head the other way. Keep breathing. Good, now relax, allowing your head to return to a comfortable upright position.

Now shrug your shoulders. Bring your shoulders up towards your ears. Hold it...  And drop your shoulders back down and feel the relaxation spreading through your neck, throat, and shoulders. Pure relaxation, deeper and deeper. Shrug the shoulders again... and drop it. Feel the sensation of being relaxed in your shoulders.

Now breathe in and fill up your lungs completely and hold your breath. Experience tension. Now exhale and let your chest become loose. Try again. Filling your lungs completely and hold your breath. Experience the tension, you might even feel sensations in your cheeks and face. Now exhale. Continue relaxing, letting your breath come freely and gently. Notice the tension draining out of your muscles with each exhalation.

Next, tighten your stomach and hold. Feel the tension. And relax. Now place your hands on your stomach. Breathe deeply into your stomach pushing your hand up. Hold. And relax. Feel the contrast of relaxation as the air rushes out. Try again. Place your hand on your stomach. Breathe deeply into your stomach pushing your hand up, and hold. And relax.

Now arch your back, without straining. Keep the rest of your body as relaxed as possible. Focus on the tension in your lower back. Now relax. Let the tension dissolve away.

Now, tighten your buttocks and thighs. Feel the tension... Relax and feel the difference. Try again. Tighten your buttocks and thighs. Strongly, tighter, keep breathing, feel the tension. And relax.

Now straighten and tense your legs and curl your toes downwards. Keep breathing. Experience the tension. And relax. Again, straighten and tense your legs, but this time bend your toes towards your face. Bend your toes towards your face. Tighter, tighter, keep breathing, feel the tension. And relax.

Feel the comfortable warmth and heaviness of deep relaxation throughout your entire body as you continue to breathe slowly and deeply. You can relax even more as you move up through your body, letting go of the last bit of tension in your body. Start with the feet. Relax your feet. Move up and relax your ankles. Relax your calves. Relax your shins. Relax your knees, your thighs, and buttocks. Let the relaxation spread through your stomach, to your lower back, to your chest. Let go more and more. Feel the relaxation deepening in your shoulders, in your arms, and in your hands. Deeper and deeper. Notice the feeling of looseness and relaxation in your neck, your jaw, your face, and your scalp.

Continue to breathe, slowly and deeply, down in your stomach. Your entire body is comfortably loose and relaxed, calm, and rested...

Regular practice of this simple technique will significantly reduce the muscular tension in your whole body and reduce the anxiety which is a common culprit of why people start binging, purging or starving themselves.

Dr Irina Webster MD is the Director of Women Health Issues Program. She is a recognized authority in the eating disorders area. She is an author of many books and a public speaker.
http://www.dririnawebster.com
http://www.womenhealthsite.com

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Discover the Health Benefits of Fermented Foods

If you're like most Americans, you don't eat a lot of fermented foods. Fermented foods are more popular in the Chinese, Korean and Japanese culture where fermented soy products like tempeh and kimchee are a dietary staple. In fact, the only exposure many Americans get to fermented foods is when they eat a container of yogurt with active cultures - but that's rapidly changing.

Fermented products are growing in popularity including fermented beverages like kombucha, a beverage prepared from fermented mushrooms, and kefir, a fermented milk drink. More natural food stores are carrying fermented foods and beverages because of the health benefits they offer.

What Are the Health Benefits of Fermented Foods?

One reason fermented foods and beverages are good for you is because of the natural probiotics they contain. Probiotics are "good bacteria" that keep disease-causing bacteria in check by competing for the same resources. There's only so much room available in your gut for bacteria and when the good guys move in, they push the bad ones out. Unfortunately, most people who eat Westernized diets don't get many natural probiotics in their diet. That's changing as yogurt and other fermented foods grow in popularity.

Probiotic bacteria not only keep bad bacteria in check, they also help to "tune up" your immune system. You may not know it but 70% of your immune system lies in your gut - so nurturing your gut immunity with probiotic bacteria keeps your intestinal tract healthy.

Some studies also show these friendly bacteria offer added resistance against infection. Plus they offer potential benefits for treating irritable bowel syndrome, some types of diarrhea and for preventing vaginal yeast infections. If you have gas and bloating after meals, probiotics may help with these symptoms because fermented foods are a natural source of intestine-friendly bacteria.

Fermenting Foods Reduces Anti-Nutrients

Another benefit to fermenting foods, especially soy, is it inactivates anti-nutrients that block the absorption of minerals from the foods you eat. Soy contains phytates, compounds that reduce the absorption of minerals like iron, zinc and calcium from your gut. Fermenting soy inactivates phytates, making it a healthier way to eat soy.

Examples of fermented soy foods you can buy at most natural food markets are miso and tempeh. You may have enjoyed a cup of miso soup at a Japanese restaurant and not realized you were doing good things for your intestines. Believe me - your intestines would thank you if they could.

Other examples of probiotic-rich foods are sauerkraut, kimchi (fermented cabbage), fermented cheeses and soy sauce. Just as there are fermented foods, you can nurture your intestines with probiotic beverages like kefir and kombucha.

Fermented Beverages: Another Source of Probiotics

Kefir is a probiotic -rich beverages that has the consistency of thin yogurt and is available in a number of flavors at natural food markets. It has a slightly tart taste like yogurt, but you can blend it with fresh fruit for a sweeter taste. You can even make your own kefir at home.

Kombucha is fizzy and has a rather tart taste. Some companies that produce it like Synergy add flavors like lemon, strawberry and cranberry to it to give it more mainstream appeal. Being an acquired taste, some people don't like it when they first try it but after drinking it a few times, its fizzy effervescence becomes addictive for some.

How to Enjoy the Health Benefits of Fermented Foods

You can enjoy the benefits of probiotic bacteria by simply eating a container of yogurt with active cultures every day. If you're a little more adventurous, give kefir or kombucha a try. There are ways to make eating kefir more fun. Try making a kefir parfait by adding nuts, seeds, fresh fruit and spices to kefir. It's a healthy way to start the morning. Sip on a bottle of flavored kombucha as a healthy replacement for soft drinks.

Why not make your own sauerkraut? You'll get the benefits of the probiotic bacteria and the anti-cancer compounds in cabbage at the same time. Sauerkraut you buy in cans at the grocery store don't contain live probiotics. Here's a video to show you how:

When buying cheese, skip the packaged cheese at the grocery store and buy aged cheese with natural probiotics. Fermented soy is rich in isoflavones, natural compounds that may reduce the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer. You can buy miso at most natural food markets and use it to make soup, sauces and salad dressings. You can also add it to soups and stews for greater health benefits.

You'll want to avoid using high heat since it can destroy the probiotic bacteria. Try tempeh, another fermented soy product, as a substitute for meat. It's a good choice for meatless Mondays. By scouring the web, you'll find a number of tasty recipes using tempeh.

Next time you're at your local natural food market, pick up some kimchi. It's a popular vegetable side dish in Korea made of fermented cabbage and other fermented veggies. It has a spicy taste that's as tongue tingling as it is healthy. In fact, you can ferment your own vegetables at home using a starter culture you buy at health food stores or online.

The Bottom Line?

Enjoy the health benefits that fermented foods and beverages have to offer. You might discover you enjoy the taste as much as you do the health benefits.

References:

British Journal of Nutrition / Volume 107 / Issue 06 / March 2012, pp 876-884.

Eden Foundation. "Fermented Food: Safer to Eat"

Find out how to lead a healthier lifestyle - naturally at http://www.healthylifestyledocs.com. We'll keep you abreast of the latest health information and help you look, live and feel healthier.

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How to Avoid Winter Weight Gain!

Weight gain in winter is not an uncommon phenomenon. Most people will gain 0.5-2 kilograms during the winter season and some of us don't lose it afterwards. This can lead to gradual weight gain and obesity issues down the track, according to some recent research. Read this article on how to keep off the winter kilos and start spring with a strong, healthy body.

When autumn rolls around and the bathers and shorts get put away until next year, some of us breathe a sign of relief. Glad to not have to show off our bodies during the next 6 months and be able to enjoy our favourite winter comfort foods. But spring comes sooner than we expect, as does warm weather and singlet tops. And we panic and hit the gym!

But what if I told you that keeping the weight off should be easier in winter than in summer and it only takes a few simple strategies to achieve. It is true that in colder weather, our appetites are increased and in extremely cold weather, your body has to work harder to keep warm and therefore you do burn more calories (5-20%) however this is in extreme cold so not applicable to most of the world.

Here are some suggestions for your diet and exercise suggestions for winter:

Exercise:

• Exercise to keep warm. Better than hot showers and layers, getting your heart rate up makes you warmer than anything else.


• Ask any runner if the cold weather makes them run faster and I bet that they would say it does! When it is so cold and you have adrenaline pumping around, you are likely to be more productive when you exercise. Just make sure you warm up properly!


• Instead of exercising in the morning or in the evening when the temperatures are lower, try going for a walk or run at lunchtime. Rain? Then take out a three month membership at the gym closest to your work and do a session three times a week.


• On weekends if the weather is dry, try to be as active as possible. Walk, cycle, join a winter team sport etc. Often in summer some of these activities are off limits in the middle of the day due to the heat, but in winter it is more achievable.


• If the weather is not so good, make a "date" with your gym at a set time, three to four times per week. You wouldn't break an appointment with your doctor or best friend so don't break a date with the gym either. The results will be worth it.


• Recruit a gym buddy: you are more likely to go if there is someone expecting you.


• Work your legs: not only do your legs contain one of the biggest muscle groups in the body but by focussing on squats, lunges and other leg exercises, your legs will look great in your new pair of jeans

Diet:

- You might find yourself eating less "cold" foods like fresh fruit, yoghurt, cold meats etc and instead craving hot, heavy meals. Try to still get in your three serves of dairy and two serves of fruit however but stick to seasonable fruit (i.e oranges, kiwi fruit, pears). Here are some healthy snacks that are warming for the body:

• Low fat tinned soup (watch the sodium) or a cup of homemade soup


• "lite" hot chocolate using real cocoa powder, ½ tsp of sugar and hot skim milk or a skim cappuccino.


• Warmed low fat custard with stewed fruit


• For your main meals, instead of heavy meat dishes or cream-based meals, try some of the following dishes:


• Soup soup soup! And not just plain soups either. Homemade soup with vegetables plus any of the following additions: barley, chickpeas, lentils, chicken, ham, split peas. Season it with different spices i.e. try a Moroccan edge to your standard sweet potato soup by adding chickpeas and Moroccan spices


• Use ricotta cheese instead of white sauce when make lasagna and always use lean mince


• If you eat a lot of beef heavy dishes, like roasts, goulash, stroganoff etc make sure it is still a lean cut of meal or trim all visible fat off before cooking. With roast chicken, remove the skin then cover in spices and olive oil before wrapping it in metal foil and roasting it. You will still get juicy chicken without the fat from the skin having soaked through, adding extra calories


• Instead of using mashed potato as a side dish, try boiled or roast jacket potato with some lite cream cheese to flavour. You generally eat more of something if it is blended up as not needing to chew something stops the signalling to the brain that you are full. Chew foods thoroughly to get the most flavour and fullness out of them.

Other suggestions:

- Take your holidays in the winter, finding warmer destinations overseas or in a tropical area so your body forgets it is winter.
- If budgets permit, try a skiing holiday! 1 hour of skiing burns about 500 calories so you might return from your holiday lighter than when you left!

Most of these suggestions are not difficult to implement and maintain through a winter season and the result will be a beach ready body when the hot weather returns.

http://www.total-body-nutrition.com/

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